"If I had the ability I would have the word lord deleted. It harks back to colonial times and has no relevance for modern Dublin," newly elected mayor Christy Burke said.

The Independent councillor was elected uncontested as the Lord Mayor of Dublin at the first sitting of the new Dublin City Council.

"Mine is going to be a simple mayoralty with housing and homelessness as the main issues," said Mr Burke.

He will have served 30 years on the council by 2015 and his election was part of a deal between Sinn Fein, Labour and a group of Independents for a ruling coalition. Sinn Fein's Larry O'Toole was yesterday elected as deputy lord mayor.

The new mayor, who was born and raised in an inner city corporation flat, does not know if he will take up the privilege of living in the Mansion House during his one-year term.

He said: "I'm totally undecided whether I'll live there or not. It's nice to know there's a bed there if I'm working late."

He said his priorities are homelessness and housing and services to the disabilities.

Mr Burke was nominated after Fine Gael and Fianna Fail pulled out of mayoral negotiations. Sinn Fein, Labour, the Green Party and a group of independents formed a ruling coalition, which will see a Sinn Fein Lord Mayor for the centenary 1916 Rising celebrations.

Meanwhile, South Dublin County Council has elected Sinn Fein councillor Fintan Warfield (22). He said he took pride in being the youngest mayor in the country and in being "an openly LGBT mayor".

Fianna Fail councillor Mags Murray is the new Fingal County Council mayor while Fine Gael councillor Marie Baker is first citizen on Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Council.